4. The place where it was place where the authors lived and wrote is Palestine. This alone seems to suit the circumstances implied in the work, which is largely pervaded by the spirit of persons whose power, religion, and indepen dence had been overborne by foreign interference. Laurence, however, endeavours to shew from the 72d chapter (71st Laurence), where the length of the days at various periods of the year is given, that the locality must have been between the 45th and 49th degrees of north latitude, in the northern districts of the Caspian and Euxine seas. Hence he conjectures that the writer was one of the Jews who had been carried away by Shalmaneser and did not return. Krieger supposes (Beitrii„Te ear Kritik and Eregese, p. 53) that Enoch, the imagi nary writer, drew from the astronomical traditions or writings of northern Asia, regardless of the dif ference of Palestine's geographical position. Murray has shewn (p. 63, et seqq.) that one passage favours the idea that the author lived in Abyssinia ; whence he infers that the production proceeded from vari ous persons belonging to countries removed from one another. But De .Sacy has remarked that as the authors' astronomical system is partly imagi nary, their geography may he also visionary. Neither Egypt, nor Chaldea, nor Palestine, suits the astronomy of the book. The scientific know ledge of the Israelites was imperfect. It is there fore idle to look for accuracy in geography or astronomy. The writer or writers systematised such knowledge as they had of natural phenomena after their own fashion ; as appears from the fact that to every third month thirty-one days are assigned. The allusions to the Oriental theosophy and the opinions of Zoroaster do not necessarily commend a Chaldean origin, at least of the astrono mical part ; since the images of fire, radiance, light, and other Oriental symbols, may be satisfac torily accounted for by the Jews' intercourse with other nations, and their residence there for a time. The Oriental philosophy of Middle Asia was evi dently not unknown to the authors. Zoroastrian doctrines are embodied in the work because Persian influences had been felt by the Israelites since the Babylonian captivity.
5. Did yzia'e really quote the book of Enoch ? Some are most unwilling to believe that an inspired writer could cite an Apocryphal production. Such an opinion destroys, in their view, the character of his writing, and reduces it to the level of an ordin ary composition. But this is preposterous. The apostle Paul quotes several of the heathen poets ; yet who ever supposed that by such references he sanctions the productions from which his citations are made, or renders them of greater value ? Al] that can be reasonably inferred from such a fact is, that if the inspired writer cites a particular senti ment with approbation, it must be regarded as just and right, irrespective of the remainder of the book in which it is found. The apostle's sanction ex tends no farther than the passage to which he alludes. Other portions of the original document may exhibit the most absurd and superstitious notions. It has always been the current opinion that Jude quoted the book of Enoch ; and there is nothing to disprove it. It is true that there is some variation between the quotation and its ori ginal ; hut this is usual even with the N. T. writers in citing the Old.
Others, as Cave, Simon, Witsius, etc., suppose that Jude quoted a traditional prophecy or saying of Enoch ; and we see no improbability in the as sumption. Others again believe that the words apparently cited by Jude were suggested to him by the Holy Spirit. But surely this hypothesis is un necessary. Until it can be shewn that the book of Enoch did not exist in the time of Jude, or that his quoting it is unworthy of him, or that such knowledge was not handed down traditionally so as to be within his reach, we abide by the opinion that Jude really quoted the book. While there are probable grounds for believing that he might have become acquainted with the circumstance in dependently of inspiration, we ought not to have recourse to the hypothesis of immediate suggestion. On the whole, it is most likely that the book of Enoch existed before the time of Jude ; and that the latter really quoted it in accordance with the current tradition. Whether the prophecy ascribed to Enoch was truly ascribed to him, is a question of no importance.
6. Its use.—Presuming that it was written by Jews, the book before us is an important document in the history of Jewish opinions. It indicates an
essential portion of the Jewish creed before the ap pearance of Christ ; and assists us in comparing the ideas of the later with those of the earlier Jews. We would not appeal to it as possessing authority. The place of authority can be assigned to the Bible alone. No human composition, be it ever so valu able, is entitled to usurp dominion over the under standings of men. But apart from all ideas of authority, it may be fairly regarded as an index of the state of opinion at the time when it was written. Hence it confirms certain opinions ; provided they can be shewn to have a good foundation in the Word of God.
Mr. Stuart in depicting the Christology of the book, finds the doctrine of the Trinity distinctly recognised in lxi. 9, etc. (lx. 12 of Laurence). But he has been misled by Laurence's version. The passage runs thus :—When the saints shall be judged by the elect one `they shall all speak with one voice, and praise, extol, exalt, and magnify the name of the Lord of spirits. And he shall call to all the host of the heavens, and all the saints that are above, and the host of God, the Cherubim, and Seraphim, and Ophanim, and all the angels of power, and all the angels of principalities, and of the elect, and the other powers which are upon the dry land, over the water, on that day,' etc. Here a plurality of persons in the Godhead is not dis coverable.
The manner in which the Messiah is depicted exceeds in loftiness what we find in the O. T. :— ' I saw one who had a head of days (comp. Dan. vii. 13), and his head was white as wool, and with him was another whose countenance was as the appearance of a man, and full of grace was his countenance, like to one of the holy angels. And I asked one of the angels who went with me and skewed me all hidden things respecting that Son of Man who he was, and whence he was, and wherefore he went with the ancient of days ? And he answered me, and said to me, This is the Son of Man who has righteousness, with whom righte ousness dwells, and who revealeth all the treasures of that which is concealed, because the Lord of spirits has chosen him, and his lot before the Lord of spirits has surpassed all through uprightness for ever. And this Son of Man whom thou hast seen shall raise up the kings and the mighty from their couches, and the powerful from their thrones, and shall loose the bands of the powerful, and -Wreak in pieces the teeth of sinners. And he shall hurl the kings from their thrones, and drive them out of their kingdoms, because they magnify him not nor praise him, nor thankfully acknowledge whence the kingdom is lent to them. And the face of the mighty shall he reject, and shame shall fill them,' etc. (xlvi.) After this general conception of Messiah, he is invested with divine attributes, as —` Before the sun and the signs were made, the stars of heaven created, his name was already named in presence of the Lord of spirits' (xlviii. 3) ; `before the creation of the world was he chosen and concealed before him, and will be be fore him from everlasting to everlasting' (xlviii. 6). It is also said that the angels know him and praise his name (xl. 5 ; xlviii. 2). Thus it appears that a pre-existence is assigned to the Messiah ; he had a hidden existence, before time began, in the pre sence of God. highly, however, as he is exalted, he is not represented as a Being truly God, or on an equality with the Father. All that is said is, that he is exalted above all other creatures, sits on the throne of the divine glory, having all judg ment committed to him, and judges angels them selves (lv. 4 ; lxi. S). Nowhere is _proper worship ascribed to him ; on the contrary, he is repre sented as joining in the universal worship offered to the Lord of spirits. He is still. the Son of Man and the Elect one, on whom the fulness of the Spirit is poured out ; a creature subordinate to God, with a kind of idealised pre- existence, clothed with the highest attributes of majesty and humanity. The Christology, generally, is a deve lopment of the acknowledged Jewish doctrine ; and never transgresses the Jewish stand-point in deifying the Messiah, or hinting at the incarna tion. The 7th chapter of Daniel contains in germ the ideas of Messiah, which are developed and set forth in the work before us. It is there that we find the essence of its Christology.